Heating and cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for heating and/or cooling air has an upright housing through which at least two feed riser pipes and one condensate riser pipe pass. This housing has an outlet opening at its top and an inlet opening adjacent its base, this latter being provided with a hinged access door. A drip pan sealing the base of the housing drains into the condensate riser. A heat-exchanger assembly comprising a heat-exchanger coil, a trough below the coil which catches condensate and empties into the drip pan, valve for controlling liquid flow through the coil, a blower for forcing air through the coil, and thermostatic controls for operating the valves is hung in the housing between the openings. Releasable couplings connect the coil through shutoff valves to the riser pipes, and releasable electrical connectors interconnect these valves to the thermostat switch. The blower hangs on the coil assembly on a shelf and this coil assembly is hung on a support rail on the back of the housing, so that the entire device can be quickly and easily disassembled for servicing.

Primary li.\'unii/ierManuel A. Antonakas :Umrncy, Agent. or Fi'rmKarl F.Ross; Herbert Dubno United States Patent l 1 1 l 3,908,750

Siegel Sept. 30, 1975 l l HEATING AND COOLING APPARATUS [57] ABSTRACT[76] Inventor: Sidney Siege], 989 Schenectady A\'c Brooklyn NY. 1 1203An apparatus for heating and/or cooling air has an upright housingthrough which at least two feed riser [22] Fllcd: 1974 pipes and onecondensate riser pipe pass. This housing [21] Appl. No.: 447.784 has anoutlet opening at its top and an inlet opening adjacent its base, thislatter being provided with a hinged access door. A drip pan sealing thebase of the [52] U.S.Cl. 165/26; 62/302: offs/2570:; housing drains intothe ciolndfllsate riser. A hgap 2 B 2;00 exchanger assembly comprising aheat-exchanger coil, 1] Int. Cl. F2- a trough below h coil which catchescondensate and 1 Field of Search 165/26. 76. 48, 78. 50.

empties into the drip pan, valve for controlling liquid 163/80: 55/139:62/302 288 flow through the coil. a blower for forcing air through thecoil. and thermostatic controls for operating the [5M References cuedvalves is hung in the housing between the openings. UNITED STATESPATENTS Releasable couplings connect the coil through shutoff 1.768.7747/1930 Mason 62/448 valves to the riser pipes. and releasable electricalcon- 2.7 7.5 /1 63/338 nectors interconnect these valves to thethermostat 3.089.315 5/1963 Brandt 165/48 X Switch The blower hangs onthe Coil assembly on a 3-l9l-362 6/1965 Bwrgwlh" 55/139 X shelf and thiscoil assembly is hung on a support rail 3648766 3/1972 l lbs/48 on theback of the housing, so that the entire device 3.685.575 8/1972Henriot.. l65/48 v 1742.725 [2/197] Berger 62/302 X can be quickly andeasil disassembled for servicing. 3.831.395 8/1974 Le\' o2/3OZX US.Patent Sept 30,1975

FIG. 2

Sheet 1 of 3 1H K g H? W H H? 30 FIG! 46 i 24 f H l ya U.'S. PatentSept. 30,1975 Sheet2of3 3,908,750

m 2 6&1 69 46a 70 w 72a cow RETURN Z0 4 (OLD SUPPLY I I O I? I, {a 72C gHo'r es rvRN FIG. 3 zd H01 SUPPLY HEATING AND COOLING APPARATUS FIELD OFTHE INVENTION The present invention relates to an air-conditioner. Morespecifically this invention concerns an apparatus for heating and/orcooling which is connected to hot and/or chilled-water pipes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Airconclitioning units are known which areconnected between sets of riser pipes and which allow the temperatureadjacent each unit to be controlled indi vidually without affecting theoperation of the other units connected to the same riser pipes. Suchunits include a heat-exchanger coil connectable to the riser pipesthrough thermostatically controlled motorized or solenoid valves, and ablower for forcing air through this coil at a steady rate. As a generalrule the fan runs continuously to circulate the air, and even filter it,while the temperature of the coil is varied, It is possible to use aso-called two-pipe system for both heating and cooling by providing aclosed-cycle refrigerator unit in the device which has a condenser coilcooled by the water which is simultaneously hot enough to be used forheating in an adjacent unit. Otherwise in a two-pipe system the standardprocedure is simply to run chilled water through the pipes in the summerand hot water in the winter, with suitable controls on the thermostatfor the seasonal switchover. In four-pipe systems use is made ofmotorized zone valves which allow one unit to be used for heating whileanother is used for cooling.

Such devices present considerable advantages, especially in rentalbuildings. Each tenant has control of his own heatingand/or coolingwhich is very desireable especially in commercial structures where, forexample, machine-filled rooms might need air conditioning practicallyyear-round while store-rooms might be left totally unheated and uncooledfor economy reasons, at the option of the tenant.

A considerable disadvantage, however, of such a system is that when aunit fails it often requires considerable technical skill to repair it.The entire system must be shut down to allow the unit to be serviced,and even then the person in control of the unit is frequently leftwithout heating or cooling for a protracted period until the repairperson can do the job.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved apparatus of the general type describedfor heating and/or cooling.

Another object is the provision of such an apparatus which is easy toservice and which at the same time is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture and install.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION mounted on the heat-exchanger and iselectrically con-.

nected to the control valves and to the sourceof power I substantiallyat the level of the lower openings, which 7 is provided with a door. Thecontrols are mounted on the blower and are accessible through the lowerinput openings. 1

In accordance with further features of this invention the control valvesare provided on the heat-exchanger and are connected through conduitscapable of flexing sufficiently to take up the longitudinal creepresulting from the heating and cooling of the riser pipes. Theseconduits can be flexible hydraulic tubing, or tromboned copper tubing.

According to yet another feature of this invention theheat-exchangercomprises a coil arranged at an angle to the vertical so that the blowercan force air up through it. A drip trough is arranged under the lowerend of this coil. The housing is provided at its base with drip pan andan outlet nipple on the upper drip trough is fitted with a piece offlexible tubing that hangs down and drains into the lower drip pan. Thislower drip pan is connected to a condensate riser which runs up throughthe unit along with the feed risers. The pan fits completely across thebottom of the housing so that any dripping or leaking is caught by it,thereby eliminating the possibility of water damage near the unit.

The riser pipes according to another feature of the present inventionare secured together as a unit adapted to extend vertically up throughone floor, being connected above and below to similar units on theneighboring floors. This riser-pipe assembly comprises a sheet-metaljacket in which the pipes are secured by means of clamps which hold themin place during shipping, installation, and erection but whichDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects, features, andadvantages will become more apparent from the following with referenceto the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through an apparatus according to thepresent invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sections taken along lines II II and III III of FIGS.'1 and 2, respectively;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the blower-control unit; 5

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the apparatus;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are front, side, and back views, respectively, of aremovable control unit according to this invention;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view partly broken away of an independentriser-pipe assembly according to this invention;

FIG. 10 is a section taken along line X X of FIG.

FIG. 1 l is a side view of the upper part of the assembly of FIG. 9,illustrating a pipe gauge and shield; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view ofa clamp element used in the assembly ofFIG. 9.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION The heating-cooling unit according to thisinvention has an upright hollow housing 10 formed of sheet metal andpositioned above the floor 11 and to a height 13 below the ceiling. Fourriser pipes l2a d pass vertically through this housing adjacent one ofthe side walls thereof, along with a PVC condensate riser pipe 14.Within the housing 10 the blower unit 16 is provided with a control box18 to force air up through a heat exchanger 20 attached to both thecold-water pipes 12a, 12b and the hot-water pipes 12c, 12d.

The housing 10 is rectangular in cross section and has a relativelysmall upper outlet opening 22 over which a louver 24 is hinged. Thissame front side of the housing 10 is formed near its base with a muchlarger inlet and access opening 28 which is normally covered by a hingeddoor 30 provided with louvers 32 over most of its height and having acontrol-access panel 34 at its top. The very base of the housing 10 isprovided with a drip pan 36 connected via a short length of pipe 38 tothe drain riser 14. Thus any condensation or the like in the housing isautomatically led away.

The riser pipes 12a d and 14 are contained at one side of the housingbehind a wall 40 in a mass 42 of polyurethane foam formed in place.These pipes are supplied with the unit, projecting sufficiently so thatthey may be sweated together between the floors.

One wall also carries an outlet box 44 which is wired into the wiring ofthe building, and a courtesy outlet 46 may be provided on the front wallof the housing 10. Each of the riser pipes is provided with a respectivelaterally projecting nipple 12a-d which passes through a respectivevertical slot 39 in the wall 40. The pipes 12b and 12d are under greaterpressure than the pipes 12a and 12c, so that the flow will be from theformer to the latter. A boiler is connected between pipes 12c and 12dand a chiller between pipes 12a and 12b. The heatexchanger 20 comprisesa conventional coil unit with two sets of separate coils 48 and 48", theformer being only a single upper layer for heating and the latter beinga double lower layer for cooling. This assembly is arranged at an angleto the vertical and is carried between two side walls 50 between which arail 52 is provided which engages under downwardly extending lip or rail54 attached to the back wall of the housing 10. Hooks and eyes can beused in place of the lips 52 and 54. Thus the entire heat-exchanger 20is simply hung in the housing 10 with the straight back edges of itssides 50 lying against the back wall of this housing 10. The exchanger20 is further formed at the base of the coils 48 and 48" with a trough56 that catches condensate running down the coil 48". The bottom of thistrough is formed with a nipple over which is secured a short length 58of flexible tubing whose lower end lies in the drain pan 36 so that anycondensate running off the coils 48 and 48" is first caught in thetrough 56 and thence drains out into the pan 36.

One side of the coil 48" is connectable through a valve 60 and a hose66a with the cold-water supply line 12b and the other side is connectedthrough a Y- connector 60a and a hose 66b to the cold return line 12a.This valve 60 has a lateral bypass 60b connected to the Y 60a so that itcan either divert the cold water through the coil 48" or through thisbypass 60b. Similarly the one side of the coil 48' is connectablethrough a line 62, a valve 64 and a hose 68a with the hot-water supplyline 12d and the other side through a line 59, a Y 64a and a hose 68b tothe hot-water return 12c. The valve 64 also has a bypass connection 64bconnected to the Y 64a so that it can pass hot water either through thecoil 48' or past it. The valves 60 and 64 are of the motor-operated typewhich when energized connect up their respective coils 48 and 48" butotherwise bypass these coils.

These hoses 68a, 68b, 66a and 66b are connected at their ends oppositevalves 64 and 60 with releasable hose couplings 70a d to the risers 12ad so that the heat exchanger 20 may be readily disconnected. Betweencouplings 70a 70d and respective runouts 12a 12d there are providedrespective manual shutoff valves 72a 72d. The electrical connections forthe so lenoids of valves 60 and 64 are made with a cable 74 having amale connector 76a adapted to mate with a female connector 76b carriedon the end of a cable 78 extending from the control unit 18.

The blower 16 is of the axial-input radial-output or so-calledsquirrel-cage type and has a housing 80 formed with an outlet opening 82and a pair of oppositely directed flanges 84. The side walls 50 of theheatexchanger are bent over at their lower edges to have short inwardlydirected lips 86 forming a sort of shelf. The edges 84 of the blowerhousing 80 overlie these lips 86 so that this blower unit 16 may be hungon the heat-exchanger 20. The two are mounted together after theheat-exchanger is hung on the cleat 54 by simply sliding the lips 84horizontally into place over the edges 86. A vertical flange or lip 88is provided on the housing 80 which lies against the front of the heatexchanger 20 and prevents air from being blown over the control unit 18.Air drawn into the sides of the blower 16 is blown out the mouth 82 ofthis blower and through the heat-exchanger 20, whence it passes out ofthe housing 10 through the outlet 22. This air is drawn in through thelouvered door 30 through a filter 90 which rests on a switch 92connected via a two-conductor wire 94 to a male connector 96a pluggedinto a female connector 96b connected via a wire 98 to the control box18. This switch 92 is closed only when a filter is in place.

The control unit 18 comprises basically a thermostatic switch 99 whichis of the SPDT type that closes one circuit below a preset temperatureand another circuit above a preset temperature, the former circuitoperating the zone valve 64 that effects a flow of hot water through theheat-exchanger coil 48 and the latter circuit effecting a flow of coldwater through the double heat-exchanger coil 48" by activating zonevalve 60. In between these two positions, neither valve 60 or 64 isactivated and neither hot nor cold water can flow through the coil 48"or 48". Since the amount of water flowing through the unit at all timesis the same, there is no pressure fluctuation when a unit cuts in.

The motor 100 of the blower can be operated in three modes high, medium,or low by switches 102 below the thermostat 94. An ON-OFF switch 104 hastwo poles, one connected in series with the filter switch and lockout 92and the other in series with the cooling valve 60 so that when switch104 is opened the blower motor 100 cannot be operated and cold watercannot flow through the coil 48'. Hot water is, however, always passedthrough the coil 48 whenever the ambient temperature is less than thatin the thermostat, so that the water in the unit cannot freeze.Obviously, so long as the blower is not operating the amount of heatdissipated by the unit is minimal. The control box 18 has a line cord106 which terminates in a conventional three-prong plus 108 which isplugged into the outlet box 44 in the base of the unit.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show another type of control unit 110 having a frontpanel 112 on which are mounted the thermostat 99, the blower speedcontrol switch 102, and a winter-summer switch 1 14 which is onlyeffective in two-pipe systems and serves to connect the sole zone valveup to the thermostat in a manner for controlled heating or cooling. Athermostat element 116 is secured to the bottom edge of the panel 112 sothat when this panel is secured in the upper region of the lower accessopening 28 in the housing by means of screws the returning air passesover the element 116. On the back of the panel 112 is mounted thecontrol box 118 housing the various circuit elements except for thelarge condenser 120 of motor 100. The box 118 is provided with threefemale connectors 112, 124 and 126 into which plug the male connectors96a from lockout switch 92, male plug 76a from the valves 60 and 64 anda male plug 128 from the blower motor 100. This unit is separate fromthe blower unit 16 so that it can be replaced independently therefrom.The thermostat 99 and/or its element 116 can be mounted on the outsideof the housing 10, or can be mounted completely away from this housing10.

The apparatus described above is manufactured and delivered to thebuilding site complete, with only some blocking in the unit to protectit during transit. It is set in place and the units are mounted one atopthe other on succeeding floors of the structure. The electrical box 44is connected with the building is wired.

FIGS. 9 12 show how the insulated riser pipes 12ad as well as thecondensate riser 14 are received in a sheet-metal channel 130 having alength L corresponding to a distance of about 80 inches above the floor11 and toward ceiling 13 in the finished building. The pipes extendabove this channel or jacket 130 by a distance I and below it by adistance lwhich are together equal to slightly less than the distancefrom one ceiling level 13 to the immediately adjacent overhead floorlevel 11. In this manner the assembly 129 shown in FIG. 9 can be placedin an unfinished building and j the tubing ends can be connectedtogether by sweating in the case of pipes 12a-d and by gluing for thepipe 14.

The channel is provided at its top and bottom with transverse supportplates 132 each formed with four slots 133 corresponding to the pipes12a-d. Clamp elements 136 each have a semicylindrical central portion136a on one side of which is a bent-over foot 136]; and on the otherside of which is a straight slotted extension 136C. The feet 13612 oftwo such elements 136 are fitted side-by-side into one of the slots 133and the elements 136 are spread to allow one of the pipes 12a-d to befit between them. Thereafter another guide plate 134 formed with slots135 is fit over the front of the arrangement, with the extensions 1360projecting through the slots 135. The corners 136d of the extensions1360 are then bent over to hold the elements 136 and pipes in place. Theradius of curvature of the sections 136a is slightly less than that ofthe pipes 12a-d so that these pipes will be snugly held. At the sametime the elements 136 have a height h which is less than the height H ofthe slots 133 and so that limited longitudinal displacement of the pipesl2a-d is possible. The riser 14 is simply held in place by aconventional pipe clamp or strap since this pipe does not undergosufficient thermal expansion or contraction. A large cover plate 138 isthereafter fastened over the front of the channel 130 to completelysurround the pipes 12a-d and 14. All of the parts 130, 132, 134, 136,138 and 140 are made of sheet metal and are secured together wherenecessary by rivets or spot-welds. In this manner the riser-pipeassembly 129 for one floor forms a neat unit which is easily installedand which permits an easy hookup of the various elements at a latertime. The housing 10 of the unit used with such an assembly 129 iscorrespondingly reduced in depth, so that the plate 138 lies against itswall 40 with the valves 72a-d passing through corresponding holes 142 inthe channel 130, with the pipe 38 passing through a hole 144. With thisarrangement there is the possibility of limited displacement of thepipes 12a-d both longitudinally relative to the jacket 130 andtransversely relative thereto. This allows for thermal expansion andcontraction of these pipes while making it possible to shift themlimitedly when securing them together.

The clips 136 serve to center the riser pipes regardless of theirdiameter. Thus a riser-pipe assembly used in the upper stories of abuilding, which is therefore of lesser diameter than the risers in thelower stories, is centered in line with the overhead and underneathrisers. The flexibility of these clips facilitates this centermg.

FIG. 1 1 shows a throwaway pipe protector and gauge 146 which is decuredto the top wall of the housing 10 and is removed when the unit is readyto be installed in place. This shield element 146 is generally L-shapedand is releasably secured to the unit 129. Such a gauge 146 is alsoprovided at the bottom of the assembly 129.

In operation each unit can be individually controlled to heat or coolthe room. In the four-pipe system described above one part of a buildingcan be cooled while another is heated. In a more economical system thereare only two riser pipes, plus the condensate drain, and either chilledwater or heated water, depending on the season, is passed through them.In this case two-port rather than three-port control valves could beused with appropriate switching to establish whether the back or frontcontacts of the thermostat would operate them. The air that is drawninto the unit passes over the thermostat 99 so that this elementoperates the device to maintain the temperature without it within anarrow range. Since the blower speed, which determines the heating orcooling level, remains con stant once set, even when the thermostat isnot functioning to close either of the heating or cooling circuits, theunit filters the air.

It is also possible in a two-pipe system to provide the unit with aheat-pump arrangement as described in US. Pat. No. 3,472,313

granted on Oct. 14, 1969 to Arthur Milgram and Sidney Siege]. In thisarrangement water at 120F is pumped through the unit and is either runthrough a heating coil or through a condenser coil, depending on whetherthe unit is being employed as a heater or cooler.

Should the unit break down in some manner, it is possible to remove anyof the functioning parts except the riser pipes 12a d and 14. Of coursethe change of failure of these nonremovable parts is very small. Theblower unit 16 and the thereto attached or independent control unit 18or 110 can be removed for servicing or replacement by opening the accessdoor 30 and removing the filter 90. Then the plug 108 is pulled out andthe various connectors are pulled apart. The motor unit 16 is then slidout horizontally. Should the malfunction be in this unit it can bereplaced quickly and easily.

If the heat exchanger springs a leak or the valves 60 or 64 fail in somemanner, the service person need merely close the valves 72a-d, thenuncouple the hoses 70a-d after removing the blower as described above.The exchanger 20 is then lifted so that the elements 52 and 54 cleareach other, its upper end is then tipped forward, and then it is droppeddown and removed through the from access hole 28. This operation, whichremoves all of the working parts of the device, can be carried out in nomore than several minutes. Since it has been found most easy in a largeinstallation for the maintenance department to have several heatexchangers and blower-control units, it only takes a few more minutes toput completely new works in the apparatus. Thereafter the defectiveparts of the subassemblies can be repaired in the shop at theconvenience of the repair person. No costly and irritating layup timeneed be experienced. so that the users ofa system employing unitsaccording to the present invention will not only have individuallycontrollable heating and cooling the year round, but will not be leftfor long periods of time without either heating or cooling in case ofthe inevitable equipment failure.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for heating and/or cooling air comprising:

at least two feed riser pipes; pl an upright vertically elongatedhousing formed with upper and lower openings;

a drip pan in the bottom of said housing connected to a drain;

a heat-exchanger assembly in said housing between said openings andincluding a heat-exchanger coil,

a pair of conduits between said coil and said feed pipes and adapted toconduct liquid from said pipes through said coil,

means releasably connecting said conduits to said pipes,

thermostatic control means for regulating liquid flow through said coilaccording to ambient temperature,

an electric blower below said coil for drawing air in through said loweropening and passing said air through said coil and out said upperopening, means releasably securing said blower to said coil, means forconducting condensate from said coil to said drip pan, and

means for releasably connecting said blower to a source of electricpower; hanger means for removably suspending said assembly in itsentirety in said housing between said openings, said hanger meansincluding an upwardly directed lip provided on said housing between saidopening and a downwardly directed lip provided on said assembly, saidlip on said assembly engaging over said lip on said housing, said coilbeing arranged at an angle to the vertical and having a pair ofsheet-metal sides, said blower being suspended from said sides and saiddownwardly directed lip extending between said sides, said blower beinga radial-input axial-output blower having its axial output directedupwardly through said coil; and

motor control means on said blower and removable therewith said motorcontrol means being aligned with an opening in said housing formanipulation therethrough when said blower is suspended from said coil.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said feed riser pipes passthrough said housing.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said drip pan closes thelower end of said housing.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising a trough belowsaid coil and a conduit extending be tween said trough and said pan.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said means releasablysecuring said blower to said coil includes a shelf formed on said coiland a pair of outwardly extending lips on said blower engageable on saidshelf.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said thermostatic controlmeans includes a thermostatic switch which closes when ambienttemperature passes a predetermined level.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said switch and all of theelectrical conductors connected thereto are mounted on and removablewith said assembly, said switch being arranged at said lower opening,whereby air drawn in by said blower passes over said switch.

1. An apparatus for heating and/or cooling air comprising: at least two feed riser pipes; p1 an upright vertically elongated housing formed with upper and lower openings; a drip pan in the bottom of said housing connected to a drain; a heat-exchanger assembly in said housing between said openings and including a heat-exchanger coil, a pair of conduits between said coil and said feed pipes and adapted to conduct liquid from said pipes through said coil, means releasably connecting said conduits to said pipes, thermostatic control means for regulating liquid flow through said coil according to ambient temperature, an electric blower below said coil for drawing air in through said lower opening and passing said air through said coil and out said upper opening, means releasably securing said blower to said coil, means for conducting condensate from said coil to said drip pan, and means for releasably connecting said blower to a source of electric power; hanger means for removably suspending said assembly in its entirety in said housing between said openings, said hanger means including an upwardly directed lip provided on said housing between said opening and a downwardly directed lip provided on said assembly, said lip on said assembly engaging over said lip on said housing, said coil being arranged at an angle to the vertical and having a pair of sheet-metal sides, said blower being suspended from said sides and said downwardly directed lip extending between said sides, said blower being a radial-input axial-output blower having its axial output directed upwardly through said coil; and motor control means on said blower and removable therewith said motor control means being aligned with an opening in said housing for manipulation therethrough when said blower is suspended from said coil.
 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said feed riser pipes pass through said housing.
 3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said drip pan closes the lower end of said housing.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further comprising a trough below said coil and a conduit extending between said trough and said pan.
 5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said means releasably securing said blower to said coil includes a shelf formed on said coil and a pair of outwardly extending lips on said blower engageable on said shelf.
 6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said thermostatic control means includes a thermostatic switch which closes when ambient temperature passes a predetermined level.
 7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said switch and all of the electrical conductors connected thereto are mounted on and removable with said assembly, said switch being arranged at said lower opening, whereby air drawn in by said blower passes over said switch. 